You were set Free for such a time as this

I am sitting on a porch across from a body of water. The wind blows fresh air and the fog begins to lift, the sun begins to stream in and the clouds that were covering the warmth of the sun begin to move across the sky, revealing blue heavens. Peace abounds in that moment, yet the world falls to chaos.

On my phone, TV and across the world, people are full of fear and panic. This virus that is moving across the world has so many concerned and fearful. It has already had its affects on so many aspects of life, plans and vacations have been cancelled, grocery store shelves are emptied, events are being cancelled.

We are not a fearful people, but hopeful. Peace rules our hearts, because it is times like these where what we preach and declare makes its way into how we truly live.

Am I concerned. Certainly. I am concerned mostly for the elderly, concerned for my parents and in laws for which this virus seems to be affecting most. I am concerned about what quarantine may look like if we were to succumb to this illness. I am concerned about the masses and the fear mongers and panicers.

But I am also hopeful. I am hopeful to see the church rise up. I am hopeful to see the fruit of the spirit be multiplied in the church and the power of the Holy Spirit be manifested in his willing vessels.

I’m reminded of Corrie Ten Boom in the concentration camp with her sister during World War II. Her sister, Betsie, had always been sickly and Corrie, had been able to smuggle in a bottle of medicine. Corrie would administer a drop of medicine to Betsie daily and soon she was sharing and administering a drop of medicine to many of the women who were imprisoned with her. Somehow, in God’s grace and miraculous ways, the medicine never ran out. Everyday she would give drops to woman after woman and there was enough. One day one of the women who worked at the concentration hospital was able to hide medicine and bring it into the dormitory and the next day the medicine was finished.

God provided until he provided again.

I am also reminded of Elisha and the Shunammite widow. She tells Elisha that all she has is a little bit of oil for her and her son. They are prepared to die, isolated, alone and hopeless. He tells her to gather all the vessels she can find and begin to fill the jars with oil. Again God provides, and as she pours, oil fills the vessels. Vessel after vessel, God pours out rich, gold colored oil. The oil that she held in the palm of her hand overflowing until she could not hold every vessel with the strength of her arms.

Available in the Breathing Room

In the midst of chaos and panic and fear, will we have the faith of the Shunammite woman? Will we have the faith of Corrie Ten Boom, believing that God will provide? Believing that God will fill his vessels to overflowing?

In this global pandemic, be patient and wait on Him.

In the face of this monstrous fear, remain faithful.

In the days of stillness, surrender and abide in his grace.

In the mundane, seek the miraculous.

In the hard of life, remember the hope we have in Him alone.

Seek his face and abide in his presence, knowing that God is good and he is working on our behalf.

He is looking around the world, ready to pour out his spirit and his anointing on his children, so that we can be the salt and light of the world, willing vessels ready to proclaim his hope and glory.

“He is looking around the world, ready to pour out his spirit and his anointing on his children, so that we can be the salt and light of the world, willing vessels ready to proclaim his hope and glory. ”

Where are the Corrie Ten Booms of our generation? Where are the men and women who will be faithful to whatever it is God is calling us to do?

Stand firm, knowing that no matter the outcome of the world, we are called to serve and love our neighbors.

We are called to pray for the sick.

We are called to humble ourselves and pray.

We are called to be still and know He is God.

We are called to take his yoke and learn from him in unforced rhythms of grace.

“This is our chance, believers!
This is our chance to show the world how we live.
This is our chance to love our neighbor.
This is our chance to lay hands on the sick and believe they will recover.
This is our chance to let the peace of God rule our hearts and minds
This is our chance to take our burdens to Jesus and find rest in Him alone.
This is our chance church, to shine the light of Jesus and bring hope to this hopeless world. ”

I encourage you, rise up believers!

Shake off the chains of fear, disappointment and distraction and shine the light of Jesus into the darkness. We are his hands and feet, we are the good news to the world, we are free from all fear. We were set free, placed on solid ground and able to stand against the fiery darts of the enemy for such a time as THIS.

Focus you gaze on Jesus and as the old hymn says, the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.